When I mentioned that I appreciated that no one in the book commented on the gay relationships, or the inter-racial relationship, and that none of them were used as a point of tension in regard to the book's society. Aliette pointed out that, "When dealing with marginalization or oppression, your world-building either has prejudice much the same as in our world, or these relationships are seen as business as usual and no one comments on them. It's not so great when the book hinges on the big issue being the gay couple. And the racial thing, which I feel more qualified to comment on, it gets exhausting, because you get told that you can have a racial issues narrative, but you also get told you can't have a narrative where the person of colour goes on to save the world." Aliette also likes the fact that a fantasy setting gives more latitude to create a world free of the types of prejudice against oppressed groups that we see in ours. Not only can this create a more positive world, it can also feel less tired. "It’s a variety problem. There’s nothing wrong with [having prejudice as an issue in a novel], but the problem is when it’s the go-to default". Aliette has gone on to write a prequel short story about Selene and Emmanuelle’s first meeting, Of Books, And Earth, and Courtship, back when Selene was Morningstar’s star student. It’s a bit of a crime caper, as well as a romance, as bookish Emmanuelle finds herself drawn to Selene in her masculine clothing when they’re sent on a mission together. Fans of The House of Shattered Wings can pick it up as a low-priced ebook in order to spend more time with the characters.

Even though Aliette says she feels less qualified to discuss queer politics and depictions of queer romances, this particular pairing feels realistic and lovely. She says as a writer, "You have to write things you’re not familiar with otherwise none of us would set pen to paper." However, being mindful of cultural appropriation is paramount. "I think some people don’t realise how long it takes to research other cultures. There’s a shift of values, of ways of thinking that you need to do when you do it." The dangers lie in relying on tiresome stereotypes and tropes instead of putting real effort into making three-dimensional characters. "You often feel like they’re white people in costume," Aliette says in regard to white people writing people of colour. "You have to be really, really careful when you’re further away from your culture or you’re likely to drag in some cultural clichés, like the Asian martial arts master, or the Native American in tune with nature." And being a person of colour herself doesn’t excuse her from research. "I know from time to time I have to stop and look at the things I am doing. So it’s very important to stop and think. I guess it sometimes frustrates me that people underestimate the fact that you have to do a lot of research."